Computing devices including personal computers and mobile communication devices, such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants and the like comprise an operating system having a user interface. The operating system may also provide user interface support for software applications installed on the device. Often a windowing environment is provided by the user interface such that a window occupies a delineated area of a display monitor.
The user interface of the operating system (in some instances referred to as a “shell”) and/or of the applications may be themed whereby user interface elements are provided with a common look and feel. The interface elements may include borders and controls which contribute to the visual appearance of the user interface and may include icons, cursors, object borders and shadowing, menus, lists, text boxes or input boxes, push buttons, radio buttons, scrollbars, toolbars, etc. In some instances theme packages defining the themed interface may reflect a particular subject (e.g. “jungle”, “space”. etc.). One important aspect of a theme for computing devices having color display capabilities is the color palette used to render the user interface elements.
In many user interfaces a desktop metaphor is applied whereby the display screen of the device visualizes a desktop having a background component over which user interface elements are displayed. In many user interfaces, the background component of the user interface may be configured to display an image or “wallpaper” behind foreground user interface elements. Users often demand flexibility and choice over the appearance of the user interface. One aspect of this choice of is the background image to be used.
Coordinating a colour palette to an particular background image to provide a pleasing and effective theme is problematic. Theme packages may be predefined with reference to predetermined images such that a choice of a particular theme invokes the choice of a particular background image or vice versa. However, user's often want to incorporate different images such as favourite color pictures, art work and/or graphics such as team logos, flags or corporate design trademarks the color of which may not pleasingly or effectively marry with a current color palette of the user interface. Thus there is a need to determine an appropriate color palette to use with a particular desktop image.
A solution to one or more of these issues is therefore desirable.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.